NEWS
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TUESDAY, JUNE 30, 2020 | GUYANATIMESGY.COM
BRIDGE OPENINGS The Demerara Harbour Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, June 30 – 13:00h – 14:30h and Wednesday, July 1 – 01:30h – 03:00h and 13:30h – 15:00h. The Berbice Bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic on: Tuesday, June 30 – 12:00h – 13:30h and Wednesday, July 1 – 13:10h – 14:40h.
FERRY SCHEDULE Parika and Supenaam departure times - 05:00h, 11:00h and 16:00h daily
WEATHER TODAY
There will be thundery showers and light rain showers during the day. Clear skies will prevail at night. Temperatures should range between 21 degrees Celsius and 30 degrees Celsius. Winds: Southerly to South South-Easterly to East South-Easterly to Easterly to East North-Easterly between 1.34 metres and 3.12 metres. High Tide: 12:29h reaching a maximum height of 2.38 metres. Low Tide: 18:24h reaching a minimum height of 0.83 metre.
COMMODITIES Indicators
US$
Change %
Crude Oil
$41.71/barrel
+1.65
Rough Rice
$221.49 /ton
-0.20
London Sugar
$351.20/ton
Live Spot Gold
0
USD Per Ounce
Bid/Ask
$1769.00
$1770.00
Low/High
$1762.90
$1777.10
Change
- 3.60
- 0.20%
Sanctions necessary to bring oppressors to their knees – Ali
…coalition will not be allowed to get away with electoral fraud – Phillips
P
residential Candidate for the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C), Dr Irfaan Ali, whose party won the March 2, 2020 General and Regional Elections, has noted that Guyana will be crippled if the foreign powers are to impose sanctions, as a result of the A Partnership For National Unity/Alliance For Change (APNU/AFC) attempts to thwart democracy, but noted that it will be a necessary factor to bring the oppressors to their knees. Foreign Governments, inclusive of the United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union have warned that Guyana would be ostracising itself if a new Government is formed on the basis of the concocted figures of Returning Officer for Electoral District Four (Demerara-Mahaica), Clairmont Mingo. In essence, the superpowers are warning of sanctions if the APNU/ AFC and its rigging cabal succeed. The very threats of sanctions worry the PPP/C since it is of the belief that the country would be crippled and has since been fighting to ensure that the will of Guyanese who voted at the March 2 General and Regional Elections are not derailed. The figures emanating from the National Recount of the ballots prove that the PPP/C won the majority by over 15,000 votes. In an interview on Monday, at Television Guyana (TV-G), Channel 25 studio, Dr Ali said that the mere threat of sanctions has the ability to reduce the credibility of the country. He explained that investors will question the stability before deciding to invest, also, both regional and international financial institutions would also consider those threats before venturing into Guyana and respond to the needs of the country. “You are looked at in a totally different light just by the threat of sanctions and especially when that threat is one relating to the rule of law, democracy and good governance. That is the hallmark of every nation. That is the core of every nation and when these are the things that are threatened giving rise to the threat of sanctions then your country is viewed as totally differently,” he noted. Dr Ali furthered that this is an especially important time in Guyana’s economic development with it in the early stages of being an oil-producing nation and dealing with the global coronavirus pandemic that has the potential to cause tremendous damage to both the financial and economic systems. He related that it is time for the rule of law and good governance to prevail since Guyana should be
Presidential Candidate for PPP/C, Dr Irfaan Ali along with the party’s Prime Ministerial Candidate, Retired Brigadier Mark Phillips
mobilising the support of international financial institutions and not be at an election impasse. The former Housing and Water Minister explained that every aspect of livelihood would be affected should the superpowers decide to dish out sanctions on individuals complicit in committing electoral fraud. He explained that those sanctions would be more than just travelling restrictions rather they. “Financial flows will not come from the international organisations, our revenue from the oil and gas sector would be frozen, foreign investment will dry up. These are the types of things that will cripple our country and unfortunately, if this cabal continues in the way they are going then collectively as a nation, though the implications are grave, we would have to understand that sanctions would have to be there to bring those who are oppressing our country
to bring the oppressors of democracy, good governance, and the rule of law to their knees and make them answerable so that our country can return on a democratic pathway,” Dr Ali related.
Not the 70s and 80s
Meanwhile, PPP/C Prime Ministerial Candidate, Brigadier Retired Mark Phillips noted that the current political situation in Guyana could be best described as unstable. He noted that when political instability exists then every aspect of development will be affected.
“From a security standpoint, it (sanctions) will affect a lot of security cooperation agreements and defence-related agreements that we have with neighbouring countries and organisations. The capacity-building programmes of our Police Force and Defence Force depends on those relations… when democracy is threatened many of those security arrangements will have to be placed on hold until we get our house in order and that is the reality,” the former Army Chief explained. As international pressure continues to mount on the incumbent APNU/AFC coalition to concede following its defeat at the March 2 General and Regional Elections, Phillips has made it clear that the coalition will not be allowed to get away with electoral fraud as the world will not stand idly by and allow an illegal Government to be foisted on the nation. According to Phillips during an interview broadcast on Antiguan radio NICE FM 104.3 Online, this is not the 1970s and 80s where the entire world turned a blind eye to what was happening in Guyana. TURN TO PAGE 7
